Rail-joint.



L. SWEENY & J. SULLIVAN.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 26.1915.

I 1,1 58,744. Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

LUKE SWEENY AND JERRY SULLIVAN, OF TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA.

RAIL-JOINT.

Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

Application filed July 26, 1915. Serial No. 41,961.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, LUKE SWEENY and JERRY SULLIVAN, citizens of the United States, residing at Terre Haute, in the county of Vigo and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in RailJoints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention'relatesto joints for connecting together the abutting ends of railroad rails; and it consists in the novel construction and combination of the parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure is a side view of the meeting end portions of two railroad rails provided with a oint according to this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of the keys and the end portions of two bolts, showing portions of the rail and one fish plate in section. Fig. 8 is a cross-section on line aa-m.

The two railroad rails 2 are of any approved form and size. Fish-plates 3 and 4: are provided and are arranged against the rail webs upon opposite sides thereof. These fish-plates are preferably angleshaped in cross-section, but fish-plates of any other approved form may be used.

Bolts 6 are provided and are passed through holes in the webs of the rails and their fish-plates. At one end portion each bolt 6 is provided with a head which bears against the fish-plate 3, and its other end portion is provided with a rectangular hole or slot 7. The fish-plate 4 has longitudinal slots or grooves 8 in its end portions which are arranged in line with each other and with the holes or slots 7 of the bolts.

The middle part of the fish-plate 4: has two wedge-shaped projections 10 arranged end to end, and the end portions 12 of the slots 8 are forked so that they straddle and form the said projections. Keys 15 are provided and are driven longitudinally along the slots 8 and through the holes 7 of the bolts.

The inner ends of the holes 7 in the bolts are clear of the keys, so that the keys draw the bolts up tightly and clampthe rails to the fish-plates. Each key 15 has a forked end portion or split end portion 16 which is forced over one of the wedge-shaped projections and is spread apart by it, when the key is driven into place. The other end of each key has a head 18 which is arranged to project inwardly toward the web of the rail. This head enables the key to be drawn out by means of a specially constructed tool, and its position makes it difiicult to draw out the key by any other means, so that the joint cannot easily be tampered with. The keys have parallel front and rear sides, and are not tapered like keys as ordinarily constructed. The keys secure the bolts independently of their position, and the keys are driven longitudinally to expand the split end portions fully so that they retain the keys in place without the employment of additional locking devices. The keys can be drawn out and re-inserted as often as necessary without removing or destroying any portion of the locking devices. The outer sides of the forked slots 12 close together the split ends of the keys when the latter are withdrawn. The bolts 6 are interchangeable in the holes of the rail and its fish plates as their cross holes 7 are all at the same distance from their ends. A joint constructed in this manner does not work loose, and the expense of screwthreads and nuts on the bolts is obviated.

What we claim is:

In a rail joint, two rails, and a fish plate provided with holes for fastening bolts, said fish-plate having two longitudinal slots in its outer side extending inwardly from its opposite ends and having forked portions arranged at the middlepart of the fish plate, said forked portions forming wedgeshaped projections arranged end to end and opposite the meeting ends of the rails, interchangeable fastening bolts having cross holes arranged in line with the said slots, and two keys having parallel front and rear sides, said keys being slidable in the respective slots and in the cross holes of the bolts and having forked end portions which are expanded by contact with the said wedge shaped projections so that the keys cannot slide outwardly unless retracted by a suitable tool.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures.

LUKE SWEENY. JERRY SULLIVAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the. Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

